Variety (May 1946)

Wednesday, May 22, 1946 LEGITIMATE S7 Old Vic Draws Cheers From Blase N.Y.; Troupe Licks Illness, Housing Too Second week of Old Vic, London > legit importation, on Broadway saw ' the addition of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" to the repertory. Although N. Y. drama critics didn't think so much of the doleful Russian drama, capacity attendance. was the rule. First night top was $12 (with $6 for the balance of the week) the same record scale for straight plays ap- plying Monday (20) for "Oedipus" and "The Critic!" Sunday (19) fol- lowup comment on "Vanya" was on the down side but to date the box- office has been flourishing. Critics raved over the "Oedipus" performance in Tuesday's (21) press. The Times carried a special box in addition to the notice, telling of plaudits that continued after the Century's house lights were turned oh, following nine curtain calls. Expense Allowances Theatre, Inc., which is. sponsoring the six-week Old Vic. engagement, brought 45 players and others from England. Comment that a percent- age of the visitors are finding living costs too high in comparison to their compensation, has been dis- counted by the management. Salary of bit players is $45 per week, as compared with $60 minimum over here. Stated that the company's reg- ular London salaries are being paid, but in addition all hands are given additional money for expenses, ranging from $75 to' $100 weekly. Vic outfit is quartered in several hotels, reservations in. one central spot not being available. . From audience viewpoint, a draw- back" to the venture, has been the large capacity (1,670 seats) of the Century, but it's pointed out that (he attraction could not have been brought over for moderate size theatre because 'of the high cost of operation. Following complaints that it wasn't easy to hear the lines, especially in view of the British ac- cents, the actors have been directed to speak louder. Illnesses have oc- casioned more rehearsals than cus- tomary and probably accounts for cancelling two of' Old Vic's four scheduled radio broadcasts by CBS. KANIN, LAURENTS IN LINE FOR HOWARD PRIZE Various seasonal awards to drama- tists and actors in addition to the Pulitzer prize (discounting the N.Y. Drama ' Critics Circle, which ne- glected to select a best play), are being announced almost weekly. . The Sidney Howard Memorial Prize of $1,500 was due to be de- cided early this week by the Play-, wrights Co. Garson Kanin, who wrote "Born Yesterday," and Ar- thur Laurents, author of "The Home of The Brave," were reported split- ting the purse, but that was not affirmed nor denied. Explained that several Playwrights members are out of town, so an "official" vote was not taken. "State of the Union," the Pulitzer winner, was not considered because the Howard prize is sup posed to go to new legit authors, Kanin and Laurents thereby qualify- ing. Drama League of N.Y. awarded a medal to Louis Calhcrn for his per formance . in "The Magnificent Yankee" and a special award went to Dorothy Gish of the same show The Clarence Derwent $500 prizes for supporting players will be given to Barbara Bel Geddes ("Deep Are The Roots") and Paul Douglas ("Born Yesterday") at Equity's an- nual meeting June 7. Reading Strawhatter Sets 12-Week Season Reading, May 21. Greeri Hills Lake theatre, near here, is set for a 12-week season starting early June, with George K Snell producer and Harold Heagy director. Plays include "Claudia "Angel Street," "Wallflower," "Night Must Fall," and others. N. Y. legit und radio actors will be used. Snell attended recent meeting of Summer Stock Mgrs. Assn. in N. Y.. and served as chairman of the Class 3 group. Equity Election Slate Unopposed; Derwent Set There will be no opposition ticket for Equity's election dated for June 7, the deadline for such a move hav- ing passed last Saturday (18). Rules stipulate that any independent bal- lot must be filed not less than 20 days prior to election. Clarence Der- went is assured of the presidency, the term being for three years, same going for other officers, while coun- cillors regularly nominated are to serve for five years. . For the first time since Equity was organized not a single protest was registered about candidates, any pro or con comments being con- tained within casual conversation. It may mean that the legit assn is due for an era of tranquility but it's conceded that there are factions in the council and membership. Union Row Slows Cooling Plants Air cooling systems are being in- stalled in the Century and Adelphi, N. Y., but a jurisdictional dispute between the stage hands and the In- ternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has delayed completion o£ the work. International Alliance: of Theatri- cal Stage Employees (stagehands) and IBEW, which are affiliated AFL unions, have been at odds for some time, disputes mostly having cropped up on the Coast. An incident at the Century during a performance of 'Henry IV" Part I, Tuesday (14) night last week, revealed a conflict between the two unions here Water.from the roof dripped upon patrons occupying left front rows who were seeing the Old Vic troupe. It was reported that a cooling sys- tem vent had been left open after several disaffected customers opened umbrellas 'or put on rain coats. In- vestigation proved' that cork particles left on the roof by the installers had been washed into the'gutter by a steady downpour, clogging the pipes, water backing up and escaping through the vent. IATSE declared it had tha right to handle the installations, IBEW in- sisting it has jurisdiction in all new construction.. Work stopped at both theatres but during the week IA withdrew its claim and it's expected that the issue will be settled with the other union within a few days. One stipulation is that tluTe shall be an equal number of stagehands stand by under pay.' That is one of the regulations annoying to managers who say the rule is illogical, calling for wages for workmen who don't work. N. Y, crews' union is known as local number one, the IBEW outfit in N. Y. being known as number three. Understood ex-members of the latter arc in charge of electrical inspections for the city. Harlem Whets Sharp Ax Vs. mitman' Nixers; Calls NX CrixTascist' The People's Voice, Harlem Negro weekly, is up in arms against N. Y.'s drama critics for their reviews of "On Whitman Avenue," drama about white-Negro housing condi- tions which opened at Cort theatre May 6. Both on editorial page and. in columns of its May 18 issue, sheet went at critics hammer and tong, naming names and making blunt ac- cusations. In. lead editorial headed "Lynch- ing oh Broadway," paper said "an- other excellent play of Negro life is in process of being lynched by the 'kept' 1 dramatic criticis on Broad- way." Calling the play "a magnif- icent and stirring dramatic interpre- tation of the housing problem faced by returning Negro GI vets," sheet said it could understand why "crit- ics of the big business-dominated daily press" didn't like "Avenue." Their "anti-Negro prejudices" had already been challenged by ' other Negro plays this season, it said, and the criticis "simply could not stand up under 'Avenue's' indictment." Paper is inviting readers to a public forum May 31 to discuss the play's merits. Fredi Washington, Negro actress now running a column as the sheet's theatrical editor, was still stronger in taking the critics to task by name. Saying "the boys have become cyn- ical, lazy, tired of going to the the- atre, or what is- worse, in the best fascist tradition, have agreed on an unwritten plot to kill plays dramatiz- ing people's problems, especially Negroes," Miss Washington admit- ted she's hopping mad at them. She singled out John Chapman (News) for sloughing off the play, and Ward Morehouse (Sun) especially, for his "phoney liberalism." "You, like most of your colleagues," she told More- house; "went around robin's red barn to try to cover up the fact that you, like Mrs. Tilden in the play, would probably be horrified at the thought that you might have to live in the same house or neighborhood with Negroes." Excepting Vernon Rice (Post), Arthur Pollock (Brooklyn. Eagle), William Hawkins (World-Telegram) and Samuel Sillen <Daily Worker), Miss Washington ended: "You've made us mad, boys." Play, when reviewed, was thumbs- downed by most criticis as wordy and not well-written. New attack is another in series the N. Y. review- ers have undergone this season, from Herman Shumlln, Harold Clurman, Maxwell Anderson and others, for their reviews of shows. Berlin's Rush FiD-In Job on 'Annie' Another Classic Broadway Tale And One More Stripe to Writers Laurels Sherwin in N.Y. to Set His 2 London Musicals Manning Sherwin. New York cleffer who made good in England, returned to the U.S. Sunday (18) alter ah eight-year stay abroad to set legit production deals here for his musi- cal comedies now on London boards. Sherwin has written the. scores for two current London hits, "Under the Counter" and "Here Come-the Boys," and did the tunes for 12 others since he left America in 1938. He is best known as composer of "A Night- ingale Sang in Berkeley Square." After six weeks in New York, Sherwin is coasting for a nne-month visit to Hollywood before returning to England. Voskovec Directs ELT Play inlLS. Farewell Initial joint theatrical effort of George Voskovec, noted Czech come- dian; and Anne Gcrlette, exec. sec. of Equity Library Theatre, also their last in this country, will be a mod- ernized version of Moliere's "Physi- cian in Spite of Himself." Following production May 27,. 28 and 29, at the George Bruce branch.of N. Y. Public Library, the couple will be married' and leave for Prague, where Vos- kovec will reestablish his satirical theatre at the request of the Czech govt. While in U. S. the comedian played with his partner, Jan Wcrich, in the Margaret Webster production of the "Tempest" and has directed USO- Cnmp-Shows plays. Miss Gcrlette plans to establish a theatre with American repertory in Prague and train new actors. TRIPLE PLAY COLLAR WITH DITTO BANKROLL Al Rosen's production of "Mary Had a Little" is set to preem at the Curran, San Francisco, July 15, fol- lowing several weeks of try outs oh the road. It will remain in S. F. until Aug. 17, then work its way east to Chicago, where it jls hoped to remain for a run, similar to Rosen's previous Chi marathoncr, "Good Night, Ladies." Edmund Lowe will star in the show, with Mary Brian tentatively set as his vis-a-vis. Others in it are Richard Power, Claire Carlton and Virginia Belmont, one of the "Gold- wyn Girls." Leon Errol will direct. Martin Hersh, prcz of Ideal Fac- toring Corp., N. Y., which specializes in Hollywood film financing, is ad- vancing approximately 50% of the production cost, with Lowe and Jack Schwartz, producer for, PRC . pic- tures, sharing the other 50%. Play was written by Muriel G. Herman, Arthur Herzog and Rosen. . 'Annie's High 350G Budget Cues Claim "Annie Get Your Gun" may rep- resent an investment as high as $350,000 when the. cost sheets are completed, it being indicated that Broadway's newest musical exceed- ed the budget partly because the premiere was delayed three weeks when ' a backstage structural . fault at the Imperial, required repairs. Show played two weeks of that pe- riod in Philadelphia to record tak- ings but whether the date was prof- itable isn't certain because . of the added expense entailed: To be settled is a dispute over actors salaries for half a week, be- tween the date of the original open- ing and time the production was sent to Phila. Producers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein 2d asked for a concession which was refused, Equity saying the actors should not be penalized as' the theatre was to blame for the postponment. Equity was adamant and warned the show management that unless the money was paid, "Annie" would not be permitted to open. Check was sent under protest and an arbitration is scheduled, to decide the issue; but R. 8i H. have not indicated they will press the claim. If there are claims to be made by R. fit H. against the Shuberts, who operate the Imperial, over unfore- seen additional outlays, such items have not yet been formulated. Stated that the first four weeks were sold out prior to the debut. Advance sale had slowed down be- cause of the postponement but rap- idly picked up speed both at the boxofflce and the agencies. "Annie," only show with a $6.60 b.o. top, which is $5.50 net, is geared to gross $44,500 weekly not counting standees. First four performances would have topped $25,000 but first and second night press tickets rep- resented $2,600. Mitchum Tops Vet Group Sacramento, May 21. Theatre Productions Guild, new legit group of ex-GI's, was incorpo- rated here with Robert Mitchum as president. ' Company will produce stage shows in the Los Angeles sector. Karson's 'Operation Musical' Nat Karson is planning to produce a new Broadway show in the fall, titled "Operation Musical." Has of- fered the lead to Ben Lossy, comic now at La Martinique, N. Y. Karson was last' represented on Broadway with "Nellie Bly." Ex-GI Legiters Planning 350G Memorial Theatre Headed by Ray Hinkloy, chair- man, and Lealricc Joy Gilbert, sec- retary, an interim board of directors for the newly formed Veteran's Memorial Theatre is beginning cam- paign to raise $350,000 by contribu- tion. VMT, set up on a non-profit, tax-exempt basis, is designed as a job conversion channel for return- ing legit vets. • Plans for. the season call for six productions with runs; of three to seven weeks each. A try-out theatre for new scripts and talent will be operated with the hope of eventual federal subsidy under the GI Bill of Rights. Twenty-five veteran charter members include John Bcal, Alan. I Baxter and James Whale. Irish Clergy Put Ban On Sean O'Casey's 'Juno' Dublin, May 14 Supervising clergy, at Ireland's biggest dramatic festival contest the Father Mathew Feis, have banned Sean O'Casey's "Juno and the Paycock." . Dermot Webb, Athlone Little Theatre Group treasurer, says his company, which planned to do the play for the contest, were told that "it was not suitable for production iii the Father Mathew Hall:" Father Mathew was a big Irish temperance leader in the last ccn tury. The hall, named for him, is run by Franciscan clergy who re- serve the right to rule out any "un suitable" -plays. "Juno," one of O'Casey's earliest plays, is popular in the Abbey Thea- tre's repertory; was performed in N. Y. by the Irish players, and was broadcast by BBC in its "World Theatre" series a week ago. When, played by the Athlone group at Mullinger (Midlands) Festival, "Juno" won them the cup for the best three-actcr. "Permitted", plays at the Father Mathew this year include Patrick Hamilton's "Gaslight" ("Angel JV.res£") r.nd Rudolf Besier's "The Barelts of Wimpole Street." By JACK PULASKI Broadway premiere of "Annie Get Your Gun" last Thursday (16) marked a classic in show business, not so much for the enthusiasm with which it was received but in- the manner it reached the boards. The delayed debut because of a back stage defect.at the Imperial Was. not the first setback for "Annie." Jer- ome Kern who had come from the Coast to' supervise . the revival of Show, Boat" and write the "Annie" score suddenly passed away, Irving Berlin, just back after ex-, tended chores with "This Is The : Army" in America, Europe and the South Pacific, hard-pressed by his soon t due Paramount fllmusical, 'Blue Skies," stepped into the breach. He had' plans to write his own revue but agreed to compose the "Annie" score out of affection for Kern and for fellow-composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Ham- merstein. 2d, making their maiden musical comedy managerial effort here with 20th-Fox support " Al- though they had supplied the tunes and librettos for such standouts as Oklahoma" and "Carousel," they were much too occupied to write a score for "Annie," and 'he show would otherwise have ; been post- poned indefinitely. That Berlin should deliver such a flock of hit melodies together with lyrics for "Annie" in record time is a brilliant demonstration of his tal- ents. The score is so varied in tempo arid conception that it might have come from several composers. After the show opened there was some - doubt expressed about the punch of the numbers but Berlin has an answer to such comment, saying he sometimes cannot tell his hit songs himself until five or six weeks after the first performance. Judging from the way the show's star, Ethel Merman, handles the tunes, however, there is no doubt about them on her part: Berlin evi- dently had her in mind constantly during the composition. Sharpshootinr Annie Story of the show is alluring, highlighting the snapshooting Annie Oakley,, star of a Wild West show headed by William F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill, an outfit that hasn't existed for a tong time. One of her stunts was putting a pellet through the center of a playing card . tossed into, the air. That required expert marksmanship at high speed, Annie shooting almost vertically, otherwise the customers would be plugged. Annie Oakley's are well known in show, business. Term used is de- scriptive of press and other free ad- missions which have holes punched in them, otherwise the boxoffice would be responsible for the price of such tickets. Originally, long before admissions taxes and "service charges," there was a single hole in ducats but for some years two holes .have been used. Under the title of "Annie Oakley," Mike Todd was first slated to . pro- duce the show, with book by Her- bcrt and Dorothy Fields ?.nd Miss Merman as star. That was the com- bination that delivered "Something For The Boys" for him, with a Cole Porter score. For some reason Todd passed it up, saying he wanted to produce a musical by other writers. 'Lost Colony' Dir. in N. Y. For Leads to Island Drama Raleigh, May 21. Samuel Selden, director of Roa- noke Island's historical symphonic■' di-ama, "The Lost Colony," is in N. Y. this week with John A. Walker, gen. mgr., selecting actors for some of the principal roles in the island drama. Plans for reviving the play, which was presented at old Fort Raleigh at Manteo for the five seasons im- mediately preceding the. war, are going forward rapidly. Native islanders will take the majority of the roles in the play, with N. Y. legiters filling the more important characterizations. Philly Gets 'Girls' Al Borde's "Follow the Girls" has been booked to open its road tour at the Forrest, Philadelphia, July 17. Show closed at the Broadhurst, N. Y., Sat. (18), after a run of. more than .two years.